Meet the participants in TATI 2026!

As a senior teaching artist of Dancing Classrooms, Akemi Kinukawa teaches social dance programs in NYC schools where students build confidence, self-awareness, and collaboration skills while learning dances such as merengue, foxtrot, swing, salsa, waltz, tango, and more.  Over the past two semesters, she had the opportunity to teach one of Dancing Classroom's new programs, Sensory Steps designed for students on the Autism Spectrum that integrates dance therapy, social dance, and cultural learning.  Akemi's specialty is Lindy Hop, the original form of Swing Dancing from Harlem, NY.

My name is Alex Riesberg and I’m a digital and performance artist in NYC with a passion for healing through art. In the last few years I have started a teaching artist practice with Marquis studios in the visual arts. Through teaching I have become especially interested in the social emotional component of art education, and the transformative power of creative play. Outside of teaching I write songs and perform in a band with puppets, which is deeply inspired and energized by my experiences with students.

Amanda McDowall is a theatre-maker and arts educator, dedicated to empowering young people through participant-driven theatre and storytelling. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of International Girls Ensemble (IGE), a non-profit focused on culturally responsive, trauma-informed programs that build confidence, leadership, and social-emotional skills in schools and communities in NYC and internationally. Her work integrates creative practice with tangible mental health skills supported by a licensed social worker, working to support holistic development and inclusive learning environments. Amanda is excited to join the TATI cohort to deepen her teaching practice, reflect alongside fellow artists, and expand equitable, community-centered arts education models.

Ana Celeste Dos Reis Borges Correia (Ana Correia) is a theater and film artist with a background in Sociocultural Education. She recently completed an intensive one-year conservatory program in Theater and Film in New York City, which strengthened her desire to share her passion for the arts with children and youth. She is currently part of a theater ensemble developing an original stage production and was selected to participate in a pilot television series. Ana earned her degree in Sociocultural Education in 2013 and has since worked in both non-formal and formal educational settings, including elementary and secondary schools. Her work focuses on personal and social development through creative processes, including experiences with youth and adults.

Danielle Nacht is an Arts teacher in District 75. I support students in grades K-8 across various specialized settings where all students have an opportunity to learn the art elements through hands on process art based projects

Deb DosSantos (she/her) is an aspiring arts teacher for students with disabilities. As a recent graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts for Drama and Educational Theater with over three years of experience working with the population, she is interested in developing theatre and music programming for school-age children with disabilities. She currently works as a Teacher Assistant in a self-contained special education classroom for students from kindergarten through second grade, and is working towards certification to become a special education teacher.

Elisabeth "BESS" Morales, ENL Coordinator and TESOL (Teach English to Speakers of Other Languages) Educator (PreK-12) at BETA: Bronx Engineering and Technology Academy (10X213). To provide student-choice includes the arts by providing the scholars a creative space/outlet for them to show and share their thinking, understanding and produce an art piece along with a written statement of 150 words to accompany. Whether it be an actual art piece visually, or multimodal.

Elsa Mollien was born in Paris and graduated from the Conservatoire National d’Art Dramatique and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in 2005. She is a teaching artist and actor who has worked on stage and on screen throughout her career. Elsa teaches creative writing and acting to children and teenagers ages 6 to 18, with a strong focus on inclusion and self-expression. She has taught in middle and high schools in the suburbs of Paris, working with students from underserved communities, and since moving to New York, in elementary schools and at institutions such as The New School and Drew University. Elsa uses theater as a tool for confidence-building, creativity, and empowerment.

Greg Mytelka (he/him) is an arts educator and yoga instructor based in Brooklyn. Greg is a tenured member of the New Victory Teaching Artist Ensemble, where he works across New Victory Education programs in NYC schools and community spaces, sharing the power of theater, circus, puppetry, dance, and more with young people and their families. Previously, Greg has worked with and learned from arts organizations including TYA/USA, CO/LAB Theater Group, and Seattle Children's Theatre. Greg is also a yoga teacher, leading meditation, vinyasa, and restorative style classes at studio spaces in Brooklyn and Queens. BS in Drama from Syracuse University and 200-Hour RYT Certification from Kalā Yoga.

Hannah Stephens (she/her) is a theatre director, facilitator, and arts administrator originally from Birmingham, Alabama. She holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Montevallo and an MA in Applied Theatre from CUNY SPS. Hannah is currently working as the Education Programs Manager at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, New Jersey, where she oversees all in-school and community outreach programming. Previously, she toured the country with both the Missoula Children's Theatre and the National Theatre for Children, and she has spent the last several years as the Education Director for The Play Group Theatre in White Plains, NY.

‍Noah Huber is from Madison, WI and is currently an artist and educator in Brooklyn. He is a teaching artist with Marquis Studios and the Guggenheim Museum and also holds an MFA in painting from the Tyler School of Art. He is excited to have recently learned how to make drawing robots with his students.

Jenna Rothstein is an interdisciplinary artist and arts educator. She received her BFA from the University of Michigan, and her MFA from Goldsmiths University of London. She maintains community based education roles, and is deeply committed to the practice of anti-oppressive resourcing and knowledge formation. At the core of her pedagogical instincts is a respect for agency and curiosity. She values access to a multitude of creative materials and applications, as well as the self-directed approach to learning and discovery within these creative processes.

Johari Mayfield is a Brooklyn-based teaching artist, choreographer, and creative educator. She teaches dance and creative movement, integrating storytelling, STEAM concepts, and social-emotional learning to support whole-child development. Johari has extensive experience in arts education and special education, including work in NYC District 75 schools and with autistic and neurodivergent students. She is the founder of Live in the Movement LLC and the creator of Mrs. Red Fox, a dance-literacy character that supports inclusive and joyful learning environments. Her work prioritizes accessibility, collaboration, and creativity, using movement as a powerful tool for communication and connection.

Karen Birch Blundell is an Oboist and Teaching Artist based in New York City.
 She is a member of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, the Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra and the Eastern Festival of Music oboe faculty. She is Director of Community Engagement for the Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra where she enjoys scripting programs for family concerts. Karen is a neurodivergence advocate and has created sensory-friendly performances for a variety of ensembles.

Keya Kuruvilla (she/her) grew up in Alabama and has lived and worked in New York City for the past 8 years. She is a self-taught visual artist, educator, community organizer and facilitator. Keya roots her figurative and narrative work in social change inspired by her community and personal relationships. Her professional experience spans education, learning and development, and facilitation with a focus on creating equitable and community-centered learning environments. She is passionate about nurturing creativity, dialogue and wellness through community arts education.

Michael Welsh is an artist and educator living and working in Brooklyn, NY. He currently teaches visual arts to middle and elementary schools at P141K, a D75 school in Bedstuy, Brooklyn. His interdisplinary art practice consists of painting, sculpture, ceramics, and installation that engage the textures of contemporary life, philosophies of DIY; as well as the spiritual vocabularies of self-improvement. Michael was also the founding member of a paranormal research group, GWC Investigators.

My name is Michelle Moreno and I teach visual arts at P10x, a District 75 elementary school in the Bronx. I am currently teaching grades 2-5. I teach students in 6:1:1 and 8:1:1 settings. Teaching art is my passion and I have been doing it professionally for 4 years.

Nichole DeLoatch is a preschool special education teacher and visual artist with experience across inclusive and specialized learning environments. She integrates academics, language and communication development, and the arts into her daily practice to support diverse learners. Her work is guided by student needs, learning standards, and instructional goals, using creative expression as a meaningful access point for learning. Nichole has designed and implemented visual art curriculum within classroom settings to support student engagement, communication, and access to learning. She believes every child deserves equitable access to the arts and opportunities to communicate, explore, and learn in ways that honor their individual strengths.

Oladimeji Alabi is a multidisciplinary artist and teaching artist whose practice spans painting, mural art, installation, wearable art, and woodwork, deeply rooted in Yoruba culture and African traditions. He facilitates therapeutic, school-based, and community-centered art programs for youth, families, and older adults across New York City. Oladimeji works as the Facilities Manager at the Lewis Latimer House Museum, where he also supports the education team in delivering STEAMS and family-based programs. His teaching artist experience includes working with The Children’s Village, Manhattan Youth, and Lincoln Hospital’s Guns Down Life Up initiative. Through Artofalabi Studio, he uses art as a tool for healing, cultural preservation, and meaningful community engagement.

Vic Walsh is a Brooklyn-based educator and interdisciplinary artist. They are Programs Coordinator at Open Source Gallery and a Teaching artist at KoKo NYC, where they lead process-oriented workshops centering sustainability and creative problem solving. Vic also helps middle schoolers prepare portfolios to apply to art high schools, has spent several summers as a counselor/teaching artist at Beam Camp, and has worked in a fabrication studio making props for Broadway shows. They hold a BFA in Fine Arts from Parsons and a BA in Liberal Arts from Eugene Lang College.